Care of Mediterranean tortoises - (just the basics!)Aspects
of this document maybe contradictory to that of other keepers/breeders, it is an
account of the author’s, breeders, studies, findings, conversations,
developments and trials that have generated the data found here which has proven
successful for keepers/breeders over many years.

“If your tortoise doesn’t reach
60, it died at a young age”

Housing
Here in the UK the weather is wetter and cooler than
that of the Mediterranean and as tortoises need many hours of sunshine in order
to function, you will need a heated vivarium or preferable a tortoise table for
use on cold days and when its inappropriate for your tortoise to be outside.

Inside
When designing/building a tortoise table it is
important to bear in mind what a tortoise would have in the wild:

Tortoises roam vast distances so allow them the
maximum
floor space
possible, using rocks and logs as obstacles provides a good way to help keep your
tortoise with an active body and mind, as they try to navigate around them like they would in the wild.

Tortoises are strong and determined escapees, so
make sure the enclosure will not allow them to venture out but also prevent
anything unwanted from venturing in.

Tortoises bask in the sun which is twofold
providing them with required heat in order for their bodies to function properly
(to move/eat) and also plenty of UV-B exposure for their bodies to grow healthy
and properly, these elements can be provided by placing a spot lamp and
specialist UV tube at one end of the enclosure to allow that tortoise to bask
and warm-up
(remember to position any light/heating source in an appropriate place so
that they cannot come in contact with any hot parts), leave the other end of the
enclosure with no supplementary heating for the tortoise to cool off and thermal
regulate.

Provide a small shelter or something
similar
to shredded paper to allow the tortoise to hide and sleep under.

Overlooking any of these points could lead to your
tortoise becoming stressed/ill or worse!

Basic snag list for building your own indoor
enclosureWood and screws - to construct the enclosure

Check all the fence around your garden to
ensure
there are no gaps in which a tortoise can go under, remember tortoises are good
diggers and given the opportunity will soon pass beneath a fence to escape, a way to help prevent this is to sink your fence six inches below the ground or
tap slate down the side of your existing fence, you will also need to keep
checking they don’t
start a tunnel!

Ensure your
tortoise cannot reach large bodies of water such as ponds, pools, water features
or any amount of water over a half an inch deep - even less for juveniles.

If you have juveniles or a small tortoise its
best to pen them off into their own area, trying to find a two inch tortoise in
just a small garden is no easy task!

Make sure there are no predators that can come
into your garden such as cats, dogs, foxes etc

Check you don't have any poisonous plants in your
garden that the tortoises could reach.

You will need to provide an area for warming up
basking in the sun, a water dish, and access to dry sheltered area for
protection.

Also it’s a good idea to bring your tortoises
in at night for safety and in case it freezes overnight.

Temperature
As previously mentioned Mediterranean tortoises require
warmth in order to survive, and on warm sunny days (especially if you have a
south facing garden) your tortoises would like nothing more
than
to be outside, suitable temperatures for inside and outside would consist of the
background temperature around 20°C with basking area approaching 40°C, this will
allow them to thermal regulate.

Feeding
Years ago when little was known of the dietary
requirements of Mediterranean tortoises it was all to common to hear stories of
owners feeding their tortoises tinned vegetables, cat and dog food -
the list goes on... but now after many years of collaborated work the natural
diet of Mediterranean tortoises is well documented even down to the quantity
and elements required.

Now there is no excuse to be feeding a tortoise the
incorrect food items, a diet of high fibre and calcium with low amounts of
protein.

A shallow water dish with clean water should be
provided, taking measures to ensure the tortoise cannot tip the bowl or
worse drown in it!

A quality multivitamin and calcium supplement are
a good idea as long as the instructions are followed carefully, also another good
way of providing additional calcium can be done by regularly offering
cuttlefish bone either whole on sprinkled on food.

There are many theories and methods on this subject so
a collaboration
of points from various sources should be obtained before deciding on your
approach.

Important: Only ever hibernate healthy tortoises,
hibernation puts an additional strain on an ill tortoise, tortoises that are not
100% should be over wintered (kept inside in a heated enclosure as you would in
the summer months)

Mediterranean
tortoises require a temperature of between 3°C - 7°C for safe hibernation,
temperatures as low as 1°C could prove dangerous in the case of freezing possibly blinding or even killing the tortoise, anywhere above
10°Cand the tortoise starts to awaken eventually having to be removed
from hibernation.So
before attempting to hibernate any tortoise you will need to find a suitable
temperature in a safe place in which to carry this out. Sheds are not always
ideal depending on location they could possibly warm up very quickly on sunny
days.

Around September/October as the weather is
cooling off, cease from feeding your tortoise for 3 weeks, and on the final week
remove the water dish, this will allow your tortoise to empty its stomach and
get prepared for hibernation.

Weigh the tortoise you are just about to
hibernate, so that you can monitor its weight loss at regular intervals and
remove it from hibernation if the weight loss is to high.

Pack an adequate sized box with tightly shredded
paper, straw, with a few pierced holes in the box, leaving room in the
centre
for your tortoise, (the packed medium will have to be placed all around your
tortoise above and below!)

Place a reliable max/min thermometer probe in
with the tortoise before securing the box shut, pack a larger box with medium in
which you place the first, put a few air holes in this one too. Now on the
outside of this box place the thermometer.

Check the temperature daily that it has remained within
the limits.

Weigh the tortoise weekly. (Not allowing it to
warm-up
and awake from hibernation). Record the weight to check
weight loss here.

Around February/March when it gets practically
impossible to maintain the correct low temperature for hibernation, remove your
tortoise from the hibernation box and place in a shallow
luke
warm bath,
and gently trickle
the warm water over its back and the tortoise will begin to awaken from its
sleep, once active
looking around and moving its a good idea to let them stay in
the shallow warm bath for an hour or so to stimulate them to take a drink, if
they defecate
or urinate in the water
make sure to empty it and refill with clean.

Diagram
showing hibernation set up below...

Record
Keeping
Often record keeping is an over looked routine and thought of initially as a
chore, It doesn't have to be so, just a few minutes on a regular basis is a well
worth while exercise, for not only will it help you monitor your tortoise(s)
well being but it can also contribute to captive maintenance information for
tortoise enthusiasts worldwide.

To
show our commitment we have made things even easier by reworking our own record
keeping package the Tortoise Diary for all
to use, You'll also be pleased to know its Free! so now there's no excuse
not to do your bit ... !

For more information
and to download "The Tortoise Diary"
please visit the 'Articles' page, alternatively click [here]

Obtaining your first tortoise

So you've read through the care sheet and your all set up to go!

When purchasing a Mediterranean tortoise it is
required by (CITES) that the tortoise must have a certificate of which
provides information on its captive bred origin (an article 10), preventing the
sale of wild Mediterranean tortoises in EU countries.

If the tortoise has a plastron (the underneath)
length of 100mm or more then it is required to have been
microchipped
which will be detailed on the certificate.

If you purchase a tortoise with a plastron length
of under 100mm you will be required to have it
microchipped
when it reaches an adequate length, and dependant on diet/environment this is approximately around 5 years
of age. The microchipping can be carried out by a qualified veterinarian who
will then supply you with the details which will need to be sent off to
CITES in applying for a new certificate.

Warning: Never buy a tortoise that doesn't seem to have correct legal
identification, paperwork, microchip etc.

If you are looking at purchasing a juvenile tortoise
which is under ~ 3 years old and you have a specific sex in mind. I'm afraid you
could be out of luck! It's very difficult if not impossible to be sure on the
sex of a juvenile tortoise even for the very experienced, one way to achieve
best results is if the breeder has incubated the eggs at a temperature to
determine the sex, but this is very hard to prove either way, so if you're being
told that the juvenile tortoise is a male or female then just ask the breeder to
show you how they have arrived at that conclusion.

Looking out for signs of illness...

A healthy tortoise has bright shiny eyes, a dry nose, a
relatively clean body, is active, inquisitive and strong.

Don't consider any tortoise that looks weak, injured,
listless, has closed eyes when handled, has a runny nose, or unable to move
properly.

And finally remember that a
reputable breeder
will have no problem answering all your queries and questions, this just
verifies to the breeder that the new owners will be giving the tortoise the best
possible care.

If you would
like a pet tortoise please follow the link "Tortoises for sale" at the
top of the page